Savvy Shopper: Aldi to launch what appears to be a stunning deal on
single malt whisky. Our regular column investigates - and spies other
supermarket bargains on bottles of spirits

It's the time of year when shoppers are found browsing the supermarket spirit aisles with more frequency than usual, as the hunt for Christmas presents and festive party supplies begins in earnest.

Supermarkets are acutely aware of this, and promote special deals to lure customers. Some offers include well-known brands such as Glenfiddich, but others may advertise names unfamiliar even to spirit connoisseurs.

So how can shoppers tell if the discounted products are any good? And which deal should they go for?

Drinks writer Lucy Britner said: "There will be loads of gift packs and a lot of competition between the supermarkets so look online to see who's offering what."

She said: "There are also lots of great spirits specialists who do all kinds of special editions before Christmas. Check out masterofmalt.com, for some fun ideas."

Ms Britner said reliable signs of quality include tasting competition medallists – there is often a sticker or medal on the bottle.

"Even bronze medallists have met with very strict criteria to gain the award," she said. "Age doesn't always mean a product is superior, though that is still the general perception among many consumers."

Rosemary Gallagher, from the Scotch Whisky Association, said: "You can get very good blended and single malt Scottish whiskies. It is about trying various brands and seeing what you like best."

Tesco has put a range of spirits on offer for £15 until November 19, including Jack Daniels (70cl) which was £26 and Famous Grouse Scotch Whisky (1L) which was £22. The supermarket also has a Glenfiddich 12 Year Old Malt Whisky reduced from £18 to £13.

Sainsbury's has also knocked pounds off its spirits range, with £8 off bottles of Grant's Whisky and bottles of Bombay Sapphire gin for £18 until November 26 – cheaper than Asda, Tesco and Morrisons.

Asda has a number of branded spirits cheaper than its rivals, including Martell VS Cognac for £20 (reduced from £26).

Discount supermarket Aldi has gone one step further, launching a range of premium spirits at low prices – but only while stocks last.

The budget chain was offering 1973 Napoleon Vintage brandy for £29.99, considerably cheaper than the market value of other 40-year-old brandies. The 1973 Armagnac Baron de Lustrac Brandy, for example, costs around £107, three and a half times more than Aldi's offering.

Many of the spirits are bottled by Aldi, which explains why the supermarket can price them so cheaply for a short period of time. Aldi is known for putting pressure on its Europe-wide suppliers to keep prices low, and takes slim profits on everything sold.

An Aldi spokesman said: "Aldi operates according to a simple and highly efficient business model, which allows for far tighter margins than most supermarkets."

The chances are that these products, released on November 3, will quickly sell out. When Aldi stocked a 40-year-old single malt whisky for £49.99 two years ago, there were reportedly only 3,000 bottles distributed nationwide.

Aldi would not reveal how many bottles were available this year, only that there was a "limited" supply. When I asked a spokesman on November 13, the 1973 Napoleon Vintage brandy had sold out. But all the other products on offer were still available in store.

There will be more offers in the coming weeks, including a 30-year-old whisky, Glen Orrin, for £55 from December 8. Aldi said that a similar-age blended whisky retailed for more than £150, so this could be a bargain.

One blogger - Edinburgh Whisky Blog - gave it a good review last year saying: "The whisky is nice enough, it’s pretty limited and for £49.99 you could really do a lot worse. You could argue that there are other whiskies in the price range that might have a bit more to them - but they would have nowhere near the same level of age."

Derek Mather, owner of the Artisan restaurant in Lanarkshire which stocks more than 1,700 whiskies, said: “If you like a mature speyside whisky, then you will love this one. It’s a really nice, mellow whisky, which is fantastic value for money.”

Other, more mainstream whisky experts are yet to release their reviews.

Chris Wisson, senior drinks analyst at market research firm Mintel, said: "Aldi seem to do this every year. They source aspirational spirits and they tend to sell out because there is a sense of urgency," said "It ties into the idea of spirits being a very gift-worthy item."

According to Mintel research, two thirds of dark spirit (whisky, rum, brandy) drinkers think they make a good gift, with 18 to 24-year-olds particularly likely to pick up a bottle as a present. More than 60pc of white spirit buyers think it is a good gift.

Mr Wisson said: "There is no coincidence they are running this ahead of Christmas. It tucks into the idea of giving and people are willing to pay a little more.

"It is almost a competition to get the best bargain. You often see it in champagne; shoppers will see a lot of activity in champagne over the coming weeks."

He said it was also a "footfall driver" for Aldi. "It is all about getting people to the store," he said. "The chances are the shoppers might pick up other items as well."